The present invention relates to a method and installation for replacement of a mold in a block type moving mold continuous casting machine.
In general, a block type moving mold continuous casting machine comprises a plurality of block molds a assembled in the form of an endless track into a mold assembly b as shown in FIG. 5. A pair of such mold assemblies b are disposed in vertically opposed relationship to define a mold cavity c having opposite open ends. A nozzle d is inserted at one of the open ends to supply the cavity c with molten metal from a tundish e while the molds a and a solidified casting f are transported to the other open end, whereby molten metal is continuously cast. Such continuous casting machines are generally classified into horizontal moving mold type continuous casting machines and inclined moving mold type continuous casting machines.
Each of the block molds a is securely joined to a corresponding carrier with bolts.
Although being cooled, the block molds a may be distorted due to temperature differences when they contact molten metal at high temperatures. The block molds a temporally and slightly distorted will recover to their original shape when the temperatures of the mold blocks drop.
However, repeated or large distortions due to such temperature differences will not be remedied even when the temperatures of the block molds a drop, resulting in permanent distortions.
Surfaces of the permanently distorted block molds a do not remain flat, so that a degree of surface accuracy of the casting f is degraded.
Meanwhile, attachment and solidification of molten metal on the surfaces of the block molds a will cause irregularities on the surfaces, so that similarily a degree of surface accuracy of the casting f is degraded.
The block mold a with irregular surfaces due to distortions or attachment of metal is conventionally removed by loosening the bolts and replaced with substitutive block mold which is to be securely joined to the carrier with bolts. Such replacement of the block mold a is very cumbersome.
A primary object of the present invention is therefore to solve the above and other problems encountered in the prior art, accomplishing the replacement of any distorted block mold in a simple and easy manner.
To the above and other ends, the present invention provides a method for replacement of a mold in a block type moving mold continuous casting machine comprising the steps of releasing clamping forces of clamps exerting on opposite sides of a block mold for secure mounting thereof on a corresponding carrier of an endless track, retracting at least the clamps on one of said opposite sides, shifting said block mold in a direction of said retracted clamps to thereby remove said block mold, and installing and securely clamping substitutive block mold in position.
The present invention furthermore provides an installation for replacement of a mold in a block type moving mold continuous casting machine wherein block molds are joined to a plurality of carriers, comprising pivoted clamps at opposite sides of each of said carriers for securely clamping a corresponding block mold; springs loaded below said carrier for biasing said clamps in a direction of said clamps securely clamping the block molds; a passage groove on an undersurface of the block mold for allowing said block mold to pass without interference with said clamps in their released positions; clamp release means disposed in position on opposite sides of said endless track; and pushing means adjacent to said clamp release means and on one side of said endless track for pushing the block mold.
When the clamping forces of the clamps on the opposite sides of the carrier are released by the clamp release means on the opposite sides, at least the clamps on one of the sides are slightly and slantingly swang as shown in FIG. 2 or are vertically swang through a relatively great angle as shown in FIG. 3 to thereby align their upper ends with the passage grooves; or the pivot shafts of the clamps are threaded to allow the clamps to shift laterally as shown in FIG. 4 when the clamping forces are released. Therefore, the block mold is easily removed by pushing the mold block in a transverse direction by the pushing means.
After a substitutive block mold is installed and the clamp release means is de-energized, the clamps securely clamp the newly installed block mold under the forces of the bias springs.
The above and other effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.